Former Real Madrid manager, Zinedine Zidane has conveyed his joy regarding midfielder Federico Valverde following his hat-trick against Manchester City.
The Uruguayan international netted all three goals for Los Blancos, leading them to a 3-0 victory over the English team in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League Round of 16.
Club icon Zidane was present at the Bernabeu as Valverde stole the spotlight in the crucial match. When questioned post-game, he expressed his happiness for the 27-year-old midfielder after his impressive goalscoring display.
I am very pleased for Valverde,” he remarked (via @MadridXtra on X). Federico Valverde donned the Real Madrid captain’s armband and rose to the challenge in the absence of top scorer Kylian Mbappe, who is sidelined due to injury.
The midfielder delivered three precise finishes that would have made Mbappe, or any other forward, proud, securing the win for his team.
Valverde joined Los Blancos in 2016 and made his debut two years later after progressing through the youth ranks and spending time on loan. He became a regular in the first team under Zidane in 2019 during the Frenchman’s second tenure with the Spanish club.
Before facing Manchester City, Federico Valverde had only scored three Champions League goals in his previous 75 appearances in the tournament. His hat-trick astonishingly matched that total in just 45 minutes of play at the Bernabeu.